Chapter 21: Insinuations
The sound of popping knuckles echoed loudly amidst the foliage, and Jaken chose wisely to cower behind him in fear of retribution. Sesshoumaru took a deep breath in, attempting to quell his growing annoyance, if only because his father's ally deserved his utmost respect.
"You would do well not to suggest that this One is dishonourable," Sesshoumau warned, emphasizing his words with another stern glare and crack of his knuckles, though he did not allow his poison to pool in his hand just yet. Bokusenou was still a great ally to him and his clan, and he had not crossed him yet. But a reminder always seemed to work wonders for most retainers in his employ. "As of late, the hanyou has managed to either interfere or arrange distractions whenever I approach the miko during my visits to Edo. I wish to know if there is a way to mitigate his influence over the woman."
The wizened youkai looked him over once more, weighing his words carefully, gaze penetrating. "And what would you do with the Shikon Miko, Sesshoumaru, should there be a way? Have you actually come to regard the little human as something more than insignificant?"
Jaken immediately began squawking atrociously at the ancient youkai's insinuation that his great and terrible lord could possibly be interested in a mere human. The imp likely would have derailed into even further irritating condemnations had Sesshoumaru not planted a back kick to his face.
"I have not yet decided," he answered, as Jaken very noisily pulled himself out of a bush at the other end of the clearing. That the bush also sported a generous amount of thorns did not go unappreciated by the daiyoukai.
Bokusenou blinked once, very slowly. "Then I cannot help you," the old youkai said, and began to retract back into himself.
Panic swelled within the daiyoukai. He needed the tree's counsel; he was not skilled in the arts of negotiation or supplication. More than anything, in order to reach his end goal, he excelled at the martial arts of ultimate evisceration or elimination of his opponent. However, in this case, his opponent was his own brother, and he knew that he could not take arms against the hanyou if he wished to stay in good standing with the miko.
So it was out of sheer desperation that he blurted out, "Wait!"